AUSTIN -- The Austin City Council has passed the city budget and most of the rate increases expected to go with it.
Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole says she is proud that the City of Austin is solvent and she and other council members are looking forward to next year with a positive cash flow. To make that happen, aside from cuts the city has made in its own budget, residents will have to pay more when it comes to property taxes and utilities. Council approved a property tax rate increase of about 3.6 percent.
"We did raise property taxes slightly," said Cole. "They are raised approximately $36 more than last year for a total number of $879."
Also going up are Austin water rates. The average residential customer will pay about eight dollars more per month. That includes all water fee increases.
"It was six dollars for a certain volume that you used," said Cole. "We lowered that to $4.40. The idea is that if it is a fixed rate, it is regressive, meaning that everybody pays the same. It should be on a scale so that if you use more, you pay more."
"Of course no one likes to pay more taxes," said Latonya Pegues, an Austin resident. "At the end of the day if I pay a little bit more, that may make life a little bit easier for somebody who is less fortunate."
"You learn to deal with these things," said Tel Croston, an Austin resident. "You learn to budget for them, so it's okay."
Also approved in the budget was the hiring of an additional 49 police officers and 18 Emergency Medical Services paramedics. More officers allows the Austin Police Department to maintain a city ratio of two officers per one thousand residents. Council did consider reducing that number to 33 officers and spending the money elsewhere in the police department, but in the end opted for the 49.
"I think what happened today is that council agreed that staffing was important," said Police Chief Art Acevedo. "If we are going to move away from a staffing formula that has worked for the last number of years, then we need to have a more robust discussion and a more robust debate."
"We need more policeman on the streets," said Croston. "I know everybody wants to cut everything now, but it's not going to happen. We are going to have to have more police officers."
The new water rates go into effect on Nov. 1. In the meantime, Austin Energy has asked for a 13 percent system-wide increase. That is under review. More public hearings are scheduled before council votes on that issue, which will probably be sometime in late October.
